The Forgotten Soviet Space Shuttle: A Ghost of the Space Race
At Zhukovsky Airfield, a wooden ghost of the Soviet space race remains—a forgotten wind tunnel model of a space shuttle that never was. Once part of an ambitious program to…
Aerodynamics
The Thrust Supersonic Car: Breaking the Sound Barrier on Land
In October 1997, the Thrust Supersonic Car (Thrust SSC) made history by becoming the first land vehicle to officially break the sound barrier, reaching a speed of 1,228 km/h. This…
From Drag to Speed: The 1930s Design Shift
In the early 20th century, the automobile industry was at the cusp of a revolutionary transformation. Among the many challenges facing manufacturers was the question of aerodynamics — a term …
Nature-Inspired Design: The Peregrine Falcon’s Beak in Airplane Engines
Engineers have drawn inspiration from the peregrine falcon’s beak to design a cone structure in airplane engines. This innovative design slows down air intake at high speeds, preventing engine damage,…